Latch for bracelets and the like



C. 6. KING. LATCH FOR BRACELETS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 8,1919.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

HIMSELF AND ARTHUR I. CLARK, OF CBANSTON, RHODE ISLAND.

LATCH FOR BRACELETS AND THE LIKE.

Original application filed. June 8, 1918, Serial To all whom it mayconcern Be it known that I, Cmrrono G. KING, a citizen of the UnitedStat-es, and a resident of Providence. in the county ot Providence andState of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement inLatches for Bracelets and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to latches for bracelets and the like and moreespecially to expansible bracelets of the type disclosed in myapplication Serial No. 238,821 filed June 8, 1918, now Patent No.1,303,220, dated May 6. 1919, of which this application is a division.

The object of my invention is to provide a latch whereby a bracelet maybe opened and closed at a point intermediate the ends thereof which, inthe case of a wrist watch bracelet, are coupled to the watch. In thedrawings which accompany and form a part of this specification- Figure 1is an elevation of a bracelet provided with my improved latch, and Fig.2is a horizontal section of said latch taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the particular form of my invention selected for illustration outershells 1 inclose inner tubes 2 and are relatively movable with respectto the same, the spring 3 surrounding the connecting member a which isheld in position by the key 5, serving to restore the parts to theirnormal position. Intermediate the ends of the bracelet is a shell 6provided with two pairs of oppositely arranged apertures 7 near one endthereo't and having the hinge member 8 soldered to the other endthereof, said member being connected with the juxtaposed hinge member ofthe adjacent shell 1 by one of said connecting members 4: in the sameway that the tubes and shells of the bracelet are hingedly connected.Located within the shell. dis a tube 9 one end of which is hingedlyconnected to the hinge member of the shell adj acent thereto by theconnecting member 4.

The tube is provided with two pairs of oppositely arranged apertures 10which regis-. ter respectively with the apertures 7 of the shell. Thelatch consists as shown of two arms each provided with a finger piece 11Specification of Letters Patent.

No. 238,821. Serial No. 288,461.

Patented Sept. 13, 1921. Divided and this application filed April 8,

arranged to project through one pair of apertures in the tube and shelland each having a lag 12 adapted to project through the other pair ofapertures in the tube and to take into the other pair of perforations inthe shell, for the purpose of latching the shell and tube together.Preferably resilient means are provided for forcing said arms of thelatch outwardly and in the present instance I have shown said armssecured to or tor-med integral with the spiral spring 13. To separatethe two portions of the bracelet the finger pieces are pressed inwardlyso that the lugs 10 will clear the shell whereupon the tube may bewithdrawn from the shell. I

As shown in Fig. 1 the ends of the bracelet are attached to the rings ofthe watch 1% by means of the snap hooks 15. i

It will be obvious that various modifications be made in the particularembodiment of my invention specifically disclosed herein withoutdeparting from my invention as'defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An expansible bracelet comprising in combination a series of tubes, aseries 01": shells each embracing a tube, a shell inclosing a latch,said shell being hingedly connected to one of two juxtaposed shells anda tube within said shell, said tube being hingedly connected to theother of said juxtaposed shells.

2. In a bracelet, a tube, a shell'embracing said tube, said tube andshell each having two pairs ofoppositely arranged apertures near one endthereof, the apertures of the shell registering respectively the tube,and a latch inclosed within said tube, said latch consisting of two armseach provided with a finger piece arranged to project through one pairof apertures in said tube and shell and each provided with a lugarranged to project through the other pair of apertures 1n said tube andto take into the other pair of apertures in said shell.

3. In a bracelet, a tube, a shell embracing said tube, said tube andshell each having two pairs of oppositely arranged apertures near oneend thereof, the apertures of the shell registering with those of thetube, and

with those of a latch inolosed Within said tube, said latch consistingof two arms each provided with a finger pieee arranged to projectthrough one pair of apertures in said tube and shell and each providedWith a lug arranged to project through the other pair of apertures insaid tube and to take into the other pair of apertures in said shell andresilient means for forcing said In testimony subscribed my 11(IILIFFOiJD o. KING.

